10 Things to do in Mexico City at Christmas

During the Christmas season, Mexico City is transformed into a spectacle of lights and color. The Zócalo, in the historic heart of the city, comes alive with impressive decorations and a beautiful Christmas market that fills the landscape framed by the Metropolitan Cathedral with life. In addition, you will find throughout the city some culinary delights, unique crafts and music, creating an unforgettable holiday experience.

Among some of the best things to do in Mexico City during the holiday season are visiting magical places like Chapultepec Castle or Paseo de la Reforma. You can also enjoy the enchanting lights of Polanco and immerse yourself in the festive atmosphere of the Christmas markets on Madero Avenue. Mexico City at Christmas is a destination that will surprise you by combining tradition with modernity, offering a unique experience for all tastes.

Without a doubt, one of the biggest Christmas attractions in Mexico City is to see the Christmas lights in the mythical Polanco, one of the best neighborhoods in CDMX. Dare to explore this elegant neighborhood of the capital, which every year is adorned with Christmas lights and decorations that enhance the charm of its streets, full of boutiques and art galleries. In addition, you can take advantage of the walk to participate in a gastronomic tour of the area, and get to know everything that the Christmas season offers in the city.

Rocío's Traveller Tip

A recommendation: go to Lincoln Park. You will find the spectacular Ferrero Rocher Christmas tree. With 30 meters high and incredible lighting, it is without a doubt one of the most beautiful trees I've ever seen.

You can also see a beautiful golden Christmas tree in the Antara Fashion Hall, and it is very possible that in the streets of Polanco you will find a Christmas parade or a light show, it's the magic of walking the streets!

Avenida Madero, the main avenue of Mexico City's Historic Center, is a busy place all year round, but during the Christmas season it transforms into a festive paradise thanks to its markets.

There are two main Christmas markets on Avenida Madero:

• The Alameda Central Christmas Market is located in this emblematic public park in downtown. It has more than 200 stalls selling traditional Christmas crafts, food and drinks. You can also see a stage where musical groups and street artists often perform.
• The Christmas Market in the Plaza de la Constitución, also known as the Zócalo, is the most famous in the city, as it is located in the main square. The market has more than 150 stalls, and it is also common to find musical performances.

You can find both Christmas markets open from mid-November to early January in Mexico City.

What kind of products you will find in the Christmas markets

To give you an idea of what you can find in this kind of markets, I will tell you what products are usually sold in them. Take note of your favorites!

• Christmas trees of different sizes and styles, some of them will surprise you!
• Christmas ornaments, such as balls, lights, garlands and wreaths.
• Christmas decorations, such as nativity scenes, nativity scenes and Santa Claus figures.
• Christmas food and drinks, such as tamales, fritters, punch and champurrado.

If you haven't heard of champurrado, it is a drink that is usually served with tamales, made with crushed corn, chocolate and water with cinnamon, highly recommended!

Whenever you visit a country, a must-do activity is to try its gastronomy, and Mexican cuisine is world famous! Mexico City has traditional restaurants that offer special Christmas dinners, fusing authentic flavors with the Christmas spirit and from simpler options to high-end international cuisine. It depends on your preferences! I am going to recommend some of the best restaurants in the city to enjoy an unforgettable Christmas dinner:

• Hacienda de los Morales. It is a haute cuisine restaurant located in an 18th century colonial building. Its Christmas menu usually offers a selection of traditional Mexican dishes, such as stuffed turkey, romeritos and codfish. Delicious!

Rulfo Paraje Latino is a restaurant that offers an interesting fusion of flavors from the region. Its Christmas menu includes dishes such as mole poblano, chiles en nogada or Oaxacan tamales.

• Jaso. It is a modern haute cuisine restaurant where you can find a Christmas menu with flavors such as foie gras, lobster and black truffle.

Of course, there are many more wonderful restaurants where to have Christmas dinner in Mexico City, so I am going to tell you about some more: at Merkavá restaurant you can taste Israeli cuisine, Samos restaurant is ideal for Italian cuisine, Marea, Restaurante de Mar is perfect for a dinner based on exquisite seafood, and Restaurante Quintonil is the safe option to taste the best contemporary Mexican cuisine.

With this information, choose your favorite, and enjoy the taste of Mexican Christmas!

Xochimilco is one of the most emblematic areas of Mexico City, and its beauty is accentuated during Christmas. The canals are filled with Christmas lights and decorations, and the trajineras (beautiful and colorful little boats) become the perfect setting to enjoy this time of the year.

Trajinera tours in Xochimilco at Christmas time usually include activities for young and old. The tour usually begins with a toast with Christmas punch and Christmas carols. Afterwards, you will visit a nursery of nochebuenas or pascueros, where you can admire the beauty of these traditional Christmas flowers.

The next thing you can do is enjoy the tour that continues along the canals. A visit to Xochimilco and a ride on its trajineras is, without a doubt, one of the best things to do in Mexico City during Christmas, since the lights of the houses, the trees and the trajineras themselves are reflected in the water of the canals, creating a magical spectacle.

However, I will give you some recommendations to enjoy the experience even more:

• Book in advance, especially if you are traveling during high season, such as Christmas.
• Wear comfortable clothes and shoes that do not slip to be more comfortable on the trajinera.
• If you go with children, I would recommend bringing a snack or drink, in case the food served on the boat doesn't quite suit the kids' tastes.

Another activity that I recommend you not to miss is a carol concert. The ones offered in Mexico City's Zócalo are free, and it is a tradition every year. The square creates a warm and familiar atmosphere, so it is a unique opportunity to enjoy the carols.

The concert, which takes place on December 24, usually features the Mexico City Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as other guest artists, and the repertoire includes not only traditional Mexican carols, but from all over the world.

However, it is not the only carol concert you can find in the city. You can also enjoy them in theaters or cultural centers, there is a great variety of options! From classical music to popular music, choose your favorite!

These are some of the ones I can recommend:

• Concerts at the Auditorio Nacional: The Auditorio Nacional de Mexico is one of the most important cultural venues in Mexico City, and offers a wide variety of concerts, including carol concerts. Check out their program for December!
• La Sala Silvestre Revueltas: This is a space located in the Ollin Yoliztli Cultural Center. It offers carol concerts, so in its Christmas events you are sure to find something interesting.
• Ex Convento de Regina: This historic building is located in the center of the city, so it will be great for you to attend a carol concert here if you are visiting this area. Check their schedule for the time of your visit!

The traditional Christmas Posadas in Mexico City is a nine-day celebration that takes place between December 16 and 24. It is a tradition that consists of commemorating the journey of the Virgin Mary and St. Joseph to Bethlehem before the birth of Jesus.

Christmas posadas are held in the homes of families, churches and other public places, such as plazas. The celebration begins with a procession, in which participants go from house to house singing Christmas carols. When they arrive at a house, they are denied entry and then sing a song asking for a posada for Mary and Joseph.

Once they are welcomed into one of the houses, the participants join together to pray, sing carols and eat Mexican dishes, such as tamales, pozole and atole, exquisite recipes that you can't miss on any of the best gastronomic tours in CDMX.

The celebration of the posadas ends with the breaking of a piñata, which represents the deadly sins, a very interesting and beautiful tradition!

If you plan to explore the Christmas market in the Zocalo, I recommend doing so especially at night for an even more magical experience. At this time, the plaza comes alive with a dazzling Christmas atmosphere, thanks to the decoration of lights and festive decorations. Not only will you be able to admire the emblematic architecture surrounding the Zócalo, but also immerse yourself in the festive essence that envelops every corner.

Without a doubt, an essential stop on Mexico City tours during the holiday season. The twinkling lights create a cozy atmosphere, while the Christmas decorations add a touch of charm to this iconic place.

The Chapultepec Castle is an imposing building, usually used as a museum, which at Christmas time has a dance and music show that pays homage to the Mexican Christmas. This show can be enjoyed from mid-December to early January, on the Castle's esplanade.

The show is organized by the Ballet Folklorico de Mexico, and features a variety of traditional Mexican dances, accompanied by Christmas music. The dances represent Mexican Christmas traditions, such as the aforementioned posadas, pastorelas and the nativity.

By the way! Even if you don't book this activity, I recommend you not to miss the Ballet Folklorico de Mexico show, it's awesome!

Here are some more facts about the event.

• The show lasts about an hour and a half.
• The performances start at around 7:00 pm.
• Tickets can be purchased at the ticket offices of the Castillo de Chapultepec and at the Palacio de Bellas Artes.
• Ticket prices are approximately 13 euros for adults and 5 euros for children.

You can also plan a visit to Chapultepec Castle during its regular schedule to enjoy all its spaces.

Visiting the city's main museums is, without a doubt, one of the experiences I recommend you enjoy in Mexico City at Christmas. For example, the Frida Kahlo Museum offers Christmas activities for the whole family:

Every year, it is common to find a special Christmas art exhibition, always related, of course, to the work of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. In addition, you can book a Christmas-themed guided tour, where you can discover how Frida lived this time of year. It is a very nice experience! Thinking of both adults and children, there are Christmas workshops at the museum, where you can make crafts like an artist.

If you check the museum's December calendar, you are sure to find Christmas events that include theater, music or dance.

Another museum that offers Christmas activities as part of its cultural program is the Museum of Anthropology. You can find temporary exhibitions, such as Christmas nativity scenes in different cultures around the world. In addition, they usually have workshops where these nativity scenes and other activities related to Christmas are made, so hopefully you can be part of one of them on the day of your visit, or you may find a Christmas show inside! For that, the ideal thing to do is to check their monthly schedule.

The Christmas Parade is organized by Liverpool department store and features the participation of different Christmas characters, floats representing allegories, musical bands, and other artists.

The parade starts at the Diana Cazadora, continues along Paseo de la Reforma Avenue, and ends at the Glorieta de las Mujeres que Luchan (Roundabout of the Women who Fight). The parade lasts approximately two hours, and is completely free!

Some of the characters you will see along the parade include Santa Claus, the Three Wise Men, elves, elves, goblins, and other traditional Christmas characters. In addition, the floats you will see parading are decorated with Christmas elements and represent the history of Christmas, Mexican culture, or fantasy, among other themes. All this, accompanied by musical bands that perform Christmas and popular songs.

I recommend you check the day and time of the parade on the website of the City Council of Mexico City, where you will also find more information about other Christmas activities in the city.

Finally, I want to remind you that whether you travel to Mexico City for 2 days or for a week or more, it is possible to make the most of your visit and not miss anything important. Even when at Christmas there are so many activities and things to do, you just need to plan your trip and organize an itinerary according to your tastes and interests. So, I hope this article has been helpful, see you in the next city!